It was Destiny who called The Ramsey Show from Orlando with a heartfelt plea for guidance and was met with compassion and tough love from host Dave Ramsey.

At 24, Destiny is raising her one-year-old son alone while living in a domestic violence shelter. She’s behind on her car payments, works part-time delivering for DoorDash, and owes $18,000 in debt due to her son’s mounting medical expenses.

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Her son was born with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, a serious congenital condition requiring multiple surgeries. Although his condition has stabilized, doctors are now assessing him for autism, and the demands of ongoing therapy have left Destiny financially and emotionally drained.

“You are a warrior,” [Ramsey] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QHp7rAdcciA) told her. “You’ve lost a few battles, and you’re going to keep fighting, princess. You’re a warrior princess.”

Priorities over payments

While Destiny wanted to focus on paying down her debt, Ramsey was quick to shift her mindset.

“I don’t care about the $18,000,” he said. “They can’t get anything from you, darling. You don’t have anything.”

Instead of fixating on the debt, Ramsey urged her to first build a stable foundation.

“If I’m in your shoes, my first job is to create a stable home situation, not get out of debt,” he advised. That means securing stable housing, income, and childcare before even considering paying creditors.

The most urgent concern? Her car. Destiny admitted she was about $1,000 behind on payments.

“We do need to worry about the $1,000 on the car,” Ramsey said. “We gotta get that straightened out, and I’m going to help you with that, okay?”

Read more: Want an extra $1,300,000 when you retire? Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it

Building a stable life one step at a time

While Ramsey typically prioritizes debt repayment, he made it clear that, in this case, it could wait.

“First, we take care of you and the boy,” he said.

He and his co-hosts recommended a step-by-step action plan to stabilize her situation:

• Build a simple budget: Prioritize essentials like rent, utilities, food, transportation, car payments and child care. Even setting aside a small amount each month for savings or emergencies can help.
• Apply for benefits: Programs such as SNAP, WIC, Medicaid, and child care subsidies can help cover basic needs. These resources are there to make sure struggling families have access to food, health care and safe daytime care while they work or look for work.
• Use local job centers and shelter resources: Domestic violence shelters and workforce centers often partner with employers and nonprofits to help women reenter the job market. She can access resume workshops, job training and leads for full-time roles with stable hours.
• Secure transitional or affordable housing: Rapid Rehousing programs or church-based aid can help with rent deposits and short-term accommodations. Once she’s in a stable home with a steady income, then it’s time to revisit the debt.

Ramsey promised to connect Destiny with a financial coach at no cost and help her find a supportive church community.

“Eighteen years from now,” he said with a note of hope, “you’re going to be standing there when [your son] walks down, gets his high school diploma and is getting ready to head off to college, and you’re paying for it, and you’re going to be smiling.”

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